Food slicer



M. HIGGS FOOD SLIGER Filed May 25, 1945 Patented Aug. 2, 1949 STATES PAT "l OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention is a slicing implement for cutting vegetables and other food substances into slices the thickness of which may be varied.

1t is an object of this invention to provide a simple, substantial, practical, effective, low cost and easily operative food slicer whereby to neat- 1y, effectively and quickly cut successive slices from given bodies of food substances (or other materials), and especially to provide for cutting slices of different thicknesses as may be desired by a very simple adjusting operation, entirely by hand manipulation; that is, to eliminate use of other tool devices.

The implement involves a gage linger and mounting device which may be factory assembled on ablade originally, or the nger and mounting may constitute an attachment unit to be affixed to blades already in household service.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having with the above additional objects and advantages as hereafter developed and Whose construction, combination, and details of means and manner of operation will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principle of the invention as it is more directly claimed in the addendum.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the implement as in use.

Figure 2 is a top edge plan of the tool; to show more clearly the disposition of the finger.

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the blade.

The gage is shown as attached to one side of a substantial cutting blade 2 the rear end or heel 3 of which projects down from and under the front end of a handle 4 suitably aflixed on the blade tang.

The gaging element consists of a substantial, sheet-metal finger 5 lying generally parallel to the blade 2 and in side elevation bending downwardly and forwardly from a rigid post 6 laterally perpendicular to the blade. On the post is slidably and turnably tted a hub 1 rigidly xed to the outside face of the nger and constantly thrust against the near cheek of a Washer 8 having an oiset ear 9 slidably mounted on a pin I0 set rigidly in the blade heel just above the post 6.

A single spring Il coils around the post between the blade 2 and the near side of the linger 5 to constantly thrust the finger and its hub 1 toward the washer 8. The spring has the additional function of yieldably swinging the linger down as to the blade so that in normal position of the finger it is well below the edge of the blade, one end of the spring hooking on the linger.

Means are provided whereby to readily shift the hilt of the finger toward the blade against the resistance of the spring Il. In this embodiment said means includes a small wing nut l2 screwing on the outer end of the rigid post 6 and bearing on the outer side of the non-turnable washer 8 which bodily slides on the pin as the nut ls screwed inward on the post.

The pin l0 is disposed in the path of the hilt end of the blade to form a definite stop for the spring rotated blade.

In operation; the object to be sliced is placed on a flat table or bench and the blade side of the finger is set up against the near end of the object with the blade in open or overhanging position above the object. The blade is now firmly pressed to and through the object to make a slice the thickness of which is determined by the distance between the adjacent faces of the finger and the blade, the hilt of the finger being slightly outbent as to the fore-end of the finger to make clearance for the interposed spring. As soon as the cut is finished the pressure on the blade and its handle is reduced and the spring has the effect of pushing the blade up from the table surface so that the object A can be again pushed right up to the gage linger.

To aid in dislodging the slice from the blade the top portion of this is slightly bowed over, on the finger side, at 2a and as the cut is made the top edge of the slice taken is wedged out from the blade; readily breaking the vacuum in the case of very moist objects being sliced.

What is claimed is:

A slicer of the class set forth and including a knife blade, parallel, vertically spaced post and pin parts fixed on and normal to one side of the heel oi the blade, a nut threaded on the post part, a slide shiftable on and carried by said parts, a gage finger generally parallel to the blade and having a fixed hub slidably and turnably tting the post part, and a spring on the post part engaging and operative to swing the finger downward and to press it outwardly to engage the hub with the slide; the nut being operative to vary the spacing of the linger as to the blade.

MELVIN HIGGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,069,189 Saltzman Aug. 5, 1913 1,378,551 Miller May 17, 1921 1,614,772 Bambini et al. Jan. 18, 1827 1,760,575 Anderson May 27, 1930 2,279,833 Madan Apr. 14, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 30,644 Sweden Apr. 15, 1911 124,068 Austria Aug. 10, 1931 

